Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.

2 1.Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 2.Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.

3 Health Management and Social Development Research Center, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

10.22038/ijn.2024.74387.2442

Abstract

Objective

Congenital malformations of the digestive system (CMDS) represent a leading cause of newborn mortality in developing countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence, pattern, gender distribution of CMDS as well as ethnicity status among newborns in Golestan Province, northern Iran.

Patients and Methods

This descriptive and analytical study was conducted on 36,156 live births to identify all newborns with CMDS, born between March 2018 and March 2019 in Golestan Province, north of Iran. The type of CMDS according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the gender and ethnicity status of the newborns were recorded. The prevalence rate was estimated and compared using the exact Poisson method and odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. Data were analyzed using STATA 14.0 software.

Results

The prevalence rate of CMDS in newborns was 2.13 per 1000 live births. The risk of CMDS was significantly higher in males compared to females (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.12-2.85). The most common anomaly was Ankyloglossia (19.28%). The prevalence rate of CMDS among native Fars, Turkmen and Sistani ethnic groups was 2.15 [95% CI: 1.50-2.99], 3.05 [95% CI: 2.06-4.35] and 1.48 [95% CI: 0.64-2.91] per 1,000 live births, respectively.

Conclusion

Due to the prevalence rate of CMDS and ethnic diversity in this region, effective prevention planning, early diagnosis and thorough screening are particularly important, especially in high-risk groups.

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